The Ticking Watch
by xXpockyXxobsessionsxX
Summary: Sora works at a movie theatre. His job was easy enough, take money, hand ticket, get paid at the end of the week. Until The Ticking Watch was released. Rated R. Garunteed to scare ya. And yet, Hayner makes it sound so good. Tick,Tock,Tick,Tock...Soriku.
1. Chink in the Chain

One, two three…

dammit, he was off now...

wait, wait, here it comes...

_One, two three…!_

Sora sighed as the screams and gasps from the theatre's audience echoed down to his position at the ticket counter.

Yup, Sora Hashiba worked at a movie theatre.

And he got the whole nine yards- screaming kids, thugs, flirty girls (and the occasional boy), and cheap parents who insisted that their child was young enough to get in free.

There was a new rated R movie showing- _The Ticking Watch_, or something like that.

But Sora didn't care.

He just wanted to do his job, talk with Hayner who worked concessions, and then get paid.

And maybe abscond a few gummie bears and free movie tickets.

As Sora finished helping the last customer of the Saturday night rush, he couldn't help but snicker a little bit.

The only tickets that sold were for _The Ticking Watch._

He had never seen the previews, never felt the urge to.

Quite frankly, when given the choice between scary macho movies packed with violence and ghosts and creepy inanimate objects (_The Ticking Watch, for examply_) and normal, sappy, cheery date movies (like the other one that just came out called _Freshman Date_)...

Another wave of terrified screams reached his ears.

Sora shuddered.

Well, lets just say he'd rather be stuck with a hoard of girls in the re-release of _Titanic._

The empty ticket box was quite, when suddenly…

"_Alex, I'd like to buy a vowel…Alex, I'd like to-"_

Sora flipped open his phone, not recognizing the number.

"…Hello?"

"Sora!" …_Kairi?_

"Kairi, what's wrong?"

Silence.

"Kairi? Sweetie, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did you get in another fight with Namine?"

"No..I…I just got home from…and…"

Kairi Wataya was silent for a long while, and Sora heard muffled, broken sobs on the other end.

"..Kairi, tell me what happened. Did someone follow you? Did they touch you?"

Sora was gripping the phone harshly, his knuckled turning white.

"Kairi…?"

The line was dead.

Sora acted swiftly, leaping out of his chair and shouting to Hayner that Kairi was in trouble and that he should call Namine to make sure she was alright. Bounding down the stairs and flinging the theatre doors open, he let out a cry as he tripped over his own two feet and crashed onto the pavement, scraping his knees into a bloody mess.

His heart was pounding.

_Kairi.._

He flew around the corner.

_Kairi…_

Again around a corner, this time leading him to the right.

_Kairi…!_

Dashing down a precariously named street.

_Oh God, please let her be okay!_

He stopped in front of a little two story house with blue and sickly yellow trim.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Wincing as the old steps creaked under his weight, he pushed the screen door open, then the lock door…

The lights were off, with the exception of a small night light near the base of the stairs.

_Kairi, please, be okay…please…please…_

Sora continued his silent mantra as he ambled through the house, carefully grabbing a small kitchen knife in the process.

Finally, after making sure no one was on the first floor, he crept silently to the stairs.

"Kairi..?" he called softly

The first step was conquered.

The second.

Third.

Fourth.

Fifth…

He reached the top.

There was only four rooms, a bathroom and three bedrooms that were all used for storage- except for Kairi's.

He'd been here enough times to know which was hers. He gripped the door knob tightly, and raised the knife in case whoever it was that hurt Kairi was in there.

_One…two..three!_

He flung the door open.

No intruder.

Just Kairi, sitting on the edge of her bed, shoulders rocking slightly with each sob, still gripping a cell phone tightly. He dropped the knife in relief, his worry swirling down the drain.

"Kairi, its okay..im here now." His relief bled through his words.

Kairi was unresponsive.

"Kairi? Its me, Sora."

At last, Kairi looked up. "Sora..? Sora!" swiftly, she flung herself into his arms, and sobbed hysterically.

"Sora..I was so scared…so scared..." she kept repeating, over and over until her voice was so broken with tears that she no longer made any noise. Sora was just about as distraught as she was. When Kairi's grip finally laxed on his shoulders, he pulled her just gently enough to look her in the eyes.

"Kairi, what happened? You can tell me. I'm your best friend."

"Sora..I..I saw…" the terror was constriicting her throat like a snake.

Sora rubbed her back for encouragement. "What did you see, Kairi?"

"I..I saw..." Another broken sob escaped her lips. "It was horrible..I thought I was going to die…he was going to kill me! He killed everyone else, everyone!"

Sora stopped breathing.

"Wh..what did you see, Kairi?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

The red head in his arms sniffled.

"_The Ticking Watch!"_

Time stopped.

Kairi looked at Sora with one side of her mouth turned up in a sheepish smile.

"I know I'm not supposed to see scary movies Sora, but..Hayner made it sound so good…and the bad guy's twin was pretty hot…" She giggled a Kairi giggle, and drew her arms back around her thin frame.

At the word 'movies', Sora snapped back into reality.

_Hayner was going to die._

The last time Kairi had seen a scary movie, she had barricaded herself in Namine's room for a _week._

_Hayner was dead fucking meat. Minced, run over, rotting meat._

**TickTockTickTockTickTockTickTockTickTockTickTockTickTockTickTock**

Hehe, well, there ya go. First chapter of _The Ticking Heart._

Good, bad, keep it, lose it?

Wow, now that I actually have my own computer, I'll update all my stories soon.

Yep, even god awful Trip to Town.

Anyways, inspiration for this came from my favorite manga- Chrno Crusade, Gir from Invader Zim (_mooooviiieees!! Everybody likes moooooovviiies!!_) a flier for freshman camp, and my drawings of Sora that my mom insisted we put up in my room.

Please review!! They keep me going, and I normally don't get a lot…

Donate a heart- er, review- for a starving artist!

:3

Disclaimer: not mine!


	2. Catalyst

Sora Hashiba was happy.

No, wait, more than happy.

Ecstatic?

Elated?

Some other word that begins with an E?

Alright, we're going to settle with _very happy._

Why so happy? He'd beaten the shit out of Hayner, of course.

And beating the shit out of Hayner would make anyone feel goo, thought Sora.

After Kairi had finally fallen asleep, Sora raced back to the theatre, finding the dirty blonde munching on some Munchies and Crunchies.

And several long moments later, Hayner found himself with a bloody nose, and a bruise the size of a baseball on his forehead.

Hayner, of course, swore to never speak of scary movies again.

Sora wasn't exactly sure he believed him.

Back to the present, hmm?

It was a pleasant Monday morning (as pleasant as Mondays can be, least ways), and Sora was at his usual station- the ticket booth, waiting to dish out tickets to horny teenagers and picky parents and squealing bratty children. _Oh, right. Its Monday. Most people usually have lives during the week, _Sora thought.

So, spinning around in his swivel chair, he began to think about _The Ticking Watch. _

And he couldn't stop. Who was the main character? What was his objective? Who killed who? Was there even really a watch that ticked?

Sora Hashiba was restless.

Sora Hashiba _wanted to see The Ticking watch._

He was thinking about it like a mad man. If it freaked Kairi out that much, that she couldn't _speak, _it _had _to be good.

_Who cares if it's a scary movie? I'm a big boy! I'm seventeen! I'm practically an adult! I don't need someone to hold my hand and save me from the monster in my closet!!_

Sora knew this to be fact.

He liked the monster in his closet- his name was Tom and he was one heck of a card shark.

Sora looked around the tiny cube, then to the courtyard and parking lot.

Not a soul in sight.

Sora, Hayner, Pence, and Seifer were the only ones scheduled to work on Mondays…

No one would notice, no one comes to the movies at 8 AM on a Monday…

Sora ran these facts into the tiny processor inside his skull.

He was going to see _The Ticking Watch._

After all, Sora Hashiba wasn't afraid of a _scary movie._

Little did he know, _The Ticking Watch_ wasn't just a movie.

It was a prediction.

A catalyst.

But little Sora Hashiba knew none of this- he just thought it was another movie that scared the living daylights out of Kairi, and he knew he'd regret giving himself the big boy pep talk and seeing the damn thing.

So little Sora Hashiba dashed out of his station, swiped more gummie bears and even a few boxes of Munchies and Crunchies from Hayner's stash, and darted into the eight thirty showing of _The Ticking Watch._

What little Sora Hashiba didn't know, was that he had left his cell phone in the ticket booth.

He didnt see the cold, pale hand flit over its cool plastic.

He didn't hear the _tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock…_

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick…_

_The phone kept ticking, counting down, counting down, spiraling towards zero…_

**TheTickingWatch**

Hi hi, minna-saaannn!!

Woo, oh yea!! TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY!!

WOOO!!

(So its short, I updated so shuddup)

…and I have absolutely no idea where this is going.

Hehe.

:3

Ispiration for this chapter- surprisingly, the German and Russian Olympic divers.

I have no idea why.

Please- a review, for me?

puppy face

If you have any ideas, please PM them to me- we don't want them out in the open for anyone to see, now do we?


	3. Munchies and Crunchies

Sora was becoming giddy with excitement as he watched the beginging credits flare up in clouds of smoke onto the screen, bringing with them the dragging notes of a violin.

His toes curled inside his sneakers.

He began to rapidly shove gummie bears down his throat.

Sora knew well the sequence of movie credits- they usually took two or three minuets, and generally half of them played when on top of first scene. Sora expected the same from _The Ticking Watch._

He was surprised, however, when there was a good thirty seconds of darkness, accompanied no longer by the violins, but the sound of rushing wind.

Finally, words flew onto the screen in dazzling gold, and they were accompanied by a voice.

_His voice._

Sora dropped his gummie bears.

His mouth agape in shock, he began to council himself.

_just… just someone who sounds like me…._ He thought.

_**I've been having these weird thoughts lately…**_

_**Like- is any of this for real, or not?**_

Sora Hashiba just about had a heart attack when he saw _himself-_ no, his younger self, fall down into the spotlighted nothingness, wearing a red jumpsuit and jacket.

As more words flew onto the screen, this time in a smokey blue, his on-screen self's outfit changed into a baggy black and red outfit, and he appeared to be older.

This time, the voice was deeper and smoother- Sora didn't recognize it at all.

_**A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory,**_

_**A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream.**_

_**I want to line the pieces up-**_

_**Yours, and mine.**_

On-screen Sora landed on a beautiful stained glass floor, eyes still closed in falling bliss.

He sighed, and opened his cerulean eyes, and said one word;

"_**Riku?"**_

Sora's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he his head lolled to the side as he knocked over Hayner's Munchies and Crunchies, and he lay motionless.

The movie kept playing.

Arms wrapped around on-screen Sora's waist

"_**Riku…" **_on-screen Sora sounded tired, sleepy almost.

"_**I love you, Sora." **_The dark watery voice.

A knife through the back.

And on-screen Sora collapsed in his own blood.

In Sora's unconsciousness, he heard _tick, tock, tick tock.._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick…_

"_Sora?"_

"_Sora!"_

"_Dammit, Sora, WAKE UP!"_

Little Sora Hashiba was thrust back into the conscious world as Hayner smacked him hard across the face.

Sora was, obviously, confused.

"Hayner…? What happened?"

Hayner rolled his eyes.

"you fell asleep watching that thou-shalt-not-mention-to-Kairi movie, you lazy bum."

"W…why didn't you tell me I looked like the…the main character?" Sora's voice was shaking, terrified.

_Hayner would have told me. Kairi would have told me. Why didn't they? Why?_

Sora was freaking out royally.

Hayner looked confused.

"What? Sora, the main character is an ex-zombie covered in scars. You look nothing like him. Are you okay?"

"y..yeah. I'm fine."

Hayner obviously didn't believe him, and his face twisted in concern.

"Why don't you head home? I'll cover for you."

"No, really, I'm fine" Sora protested.

"No, you're not. Go home now or I'll tell Seifer that you were watching another freebie.

Sora shuddered. Seifer wasn't the kindest of managers. So, grudgingly, Sora picked himself off the floor behind concessions, and headed out the door.

When he was half way home, he remembered his cell phone was still next to the micro phone in the ticket box, and with a sigh he started his way back.

_Alright Sora, let's play the dodge Hayner game, _Sora thought as hid behind a bush.

Hayner was now manning his station.

Sora knew that if he told Hayner he had just forgotten his phone, he'd probably let him grab it, but Sora was bored and decided that this would get some adrenaline pumping.

Three minuets later, Hayner walked out of the little metal door and walked around to the back. Sora waited until he could see the smoke, and had never been more thankful that Hayner smoked.

Three ninja jumps, a cartwheel, a rather good impersonation of an owl, and one self hummed Mission Impossible them song later, Sora Hashiba had in his hands the cool plastic of his cell phone.

How Hayner didn't notice him remains a mystery- Sora was rather bad at sneaking.

During is ninja jumps, Sora had knocked over a trash can.

His cartwheel landed him face first on the cement.

His owl impersonation came out of said turned over trash can.

And his Mission Impossible song could be heard from across the street.

As I said, a mystery indeed.

**TheTickingWatch**

Sora was smiling like an idiot, still grasping his phone cheerily as he walked home.

He was rather proud of his…Ninja skills.

He bounced up his porch steps, grabbed the key from the gutter and unlocked the door, and again bounced up more stairs into his room after giving his mother a peck on the cheek.

Closing the door behind him, he threw his phone onto his bed as he flopped onto the hardwood floor, and began to think.

Yes, everyone, Sora can _think._

What a miracle.

He thought about _The Ticking Watch._

About the fact that he _didn't _look like the main character.

About the fact that Hayner had actually been kind to him.

But mostly, he thought of that deep, dark, unfamiliar voice.

It had been…captivating. Beautiful. Dark.

Frightening.

The hours ticked by, and so did his phone.

Wait, what?

Sora bolted straight up, and grabbed the black rectangle off his bed.

_Holy shiz, my phone is TICKING!_

Thinking this was a great discovery, a smile lit up on Sora's face.

He began to shake the thing furiously, beating it against his palm, and finally opened it and pressed it to his left ear.

"**Sora."**

Sora's eyes began to slip closed.

_That voice…so pretty…I know it…right…?_

Sora crumpled into a heap on his bedroom floor, phone falling and scattering to the edge of his bed.

"**Sora…I'm coming for you, Sora. Just wait. I'll be back soon."**

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Who is the mystery smex voice?

Find out next chapter!!

Hehe, bet you're all wondering why the hell his phone is ticking if the story's called The Ticking _Watch_, aint ya?

:3

Please, review. They keep me writing, and make me VERY happy.

Disclaimer: If owned KH, Sora and Riku would have magnificent man-love in the freaking _opening._

Hell, in the freaking _trailor._

I didn't see any man love during Simple and Clean.


	4. Ring Ring

Sora awoke the next morning on his bedroom floor, and for a minuet he was dazed

Sora awoke the next morning on his bedroom floor, and for a minuet he was dazed.

_Wha..?_ his mind mentally blinked as it processed the fact that he was on the floor, and not his soft downy bed.

Then, it all clicked together.

Sora bolted upright, and consequently cursed aloud as he gripped his head.

"Owchie…" he frowned. "Its all your fault, stupid phone."

He kicked the offending plastic until it reached the door.

When the dull thud of plastic on wood reached his ears, a thought came to mind.

_Holy SHIZ, someone ANSWERED THE PHONE!!_

Eyes going wife, Sora snatched up the phone and flew out the door and down the stairs. It was noon, his mom would be at work.

Another thought.

_Shiznit, WORK!!_

Little Sora Hashiba was torn between his fear of his boss, and whatever the hell was wrong with his phone.

So, he did his Decision Dance.

Meaning, he hopped from one foot to the other whilst standing in the doorway of the house, looking very much like a little boy that had to go potty.

On one hand, he knew Seifer would either beat the shiz out of him or he'd get fired.

On the other hand, his phone had started to _tick _and then that _voice _made him _pass out._

The more Sora thought about it (and the more he looked like he had to pee), he came to realize something.

Kairi didn't use her cell phone to call him.

She had used one he'd never seen before.

Sora stopped moving. His mind was made up.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

_Diing dooong._

_Diiiinng doooong._

_Dingdondingdondingdondingdon-_

"Sora! For the love of god, what is it?" Kairi's father screeched.

"ah..hello…is Kairi here?" Kairi's father had always scared Sora.

Mr. Uchimura sighed, exasperated.

"Sorry kid, she's out putting up found signs. Said she found technology on the street."

Technology was what Mr. Uchimura called cell phones.

"Do you know what street she might be on?" So sue the kid, he was lazy.

"Just call her, runt." Mr. Uchimura's personal nickname for any of Kairi's guy friends.

Or maybe it was just because Sora was short. He didn't care.

Sora thanked Kairi's father and turned, walking down the sidewalk while flipping through his contacts list. Finding her number, he hit talk.

_Riiing._

_Riiing._

_Riiiiiiiing._

"_Hi guys, this is Kairi! Sorry I cant come to the phone right now-"_

Sora flipped his phone shut. He knew Kairi never checked her messeges.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Two and a half hours later, Sora found himself clinging to a telephone pole for dear life, breathing hard with aching feet. He'd lost track of how many times he'd called Kairi, and in a fit of panic (something could have happened to her!), he'd been running around the neighbor hoods like a mad man.

Pressing his back to the pole, he allowed himself to slide down the splintering surface as he held his head in his hands.

For a long while, the only sounds were that of passing cars and Sora's deep breaths.

Sora's mind was racing a mile a minuet, worrying over Kairi- should he call her father?

He was so preoccupied he missed the sound of gentle footsteps.

"Sora?"

Sora whipped his head around so fast he almost gave himself whip lash.

"Kairi!" He pounced on the lithe girl. "Kairi Kairi Kairiiii!"

"Wah..Sora…Can't breathe!" Kairi began to claw at Sora's tanned arms.

He apologized quickly and released her.

"Why didn't you answer your phone? I don't know how many times I've called you!" Sora was beginning to go into mother hen mode.

"Relax, Sora. I was just putting up posters for that phone I called you with. I found it on the road, and figured someone must be missing it." Kairi explained.

Sora was silent for a while, before he burst- "that dosent explain why you didn't answer!"

Kairi blinked.

"My phone never rang."

This time, it was Sora's turn to blink.

"What? But..look!" Sora whipped out his Razor, and flipped to the dialed calls history.

"See!" He shouted.

"No, Sora, I don't see anything." Kairi gave him a funny look.

Sora flicked his wrist to see the screen.

It was dark.

He pressed the talk button, and the screen remained the same.

"Gah, stupid thing!" he smacked against his palm, and the screen shone bright white, and an electronic voice rang, "You have one new messege! From; Hayner."

Pressing the talk button, he gave Kairi the pointer finger sign for one moment, and Kairi complied, rolling her eyes.

And then…

"_**Sora."**_

And little Sora Hashiba's world went dark.

**TheTickingWatch**

IM SO SORRY!! I WAS SEVEN MINUETS LATE!!

Just for that, you guys get another chapter tonight.

:3

I'll have it up before 3, I promise.

Yay for being nocturnal!


	5. Little Blue

Kairi was screaming her head off. "SORA! Oh my God, Sora!" She fell to her knees and cradled him in her lap, pressing her fingers to his neck, and was relieved when she felt the light throbbing beneath them. Next, she opened his eyes and check his pupil dialation with the light of her phone.

Her hands were shaking tremendeously as she dialed 911.

"Sora..oh, God Sora, please, please be alright…please…"

After Kairi had sobbed out their location to the operator, she nuzzled her face into Sora's neck, murmuring pleas into his ear as she placed his cell phone into her pocket.

An ambulance came, and carried them away

Amongst the beeping monitors and the buzz of doctors and nurses, Kairi didn't hear the _tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock…_

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Several hours later, Sora awoke in his hospital bed, with Kairi gripping one hand, and his mother clutching the other one to her chest.

"…Mommy?" Sora blinked- he was heavily drugged.

"Oh, baby! Mommy's right here, you're going to be alright, the doctors said that…" his mother continued on, giving him reassurances he didn't need nor understand. Kairi was quick to join her in Mother Hen World.

But still, even her words fell on deaf ears.

"Mommy…where is Kuu-chan?" Sora whispered, eyes dead.

Emi Hashiba dropped her only child's hand.

"Mommy, where did he go? Did Kuu-chan's mommy and daddy make him leave me? Where did they go?"

"Sora…" Emi's voice was shaking, her eyes wide with horror even as hot tears spilled from them.

For the first time, Sora noticed Kairi.

His face twisted in confusion, and he turned towords his mother again.

"Mommy, why is Kaikai so weird?" Kairi now let her own tears fall.

Sora hadn't called her Kaikai since…

"Mommy, I want Kuu-chan. Where is he? Why are we at the hospital? Did Kuu-chan break his arm again? Is he here?" Sora's eyes were wide, happy at the prospect of seeing his Kuu-chan again.

Kairi reached down silently and pressed the help button.

"Oh, Sora…honey, Riku is…" Emi's tears now fell in waves.

How was she going to tell her son that Riku was gone a second time?

Just then, the doctors came in, wielding tools of the medical field.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

The doctors had had to sedate Sora after he had tried to run from the room after throwing a spare needle at one of the nurses.

So once again, he lay in his hospital bed, silent and unmoving, completely lost to the world.

The doctors had sent Emi and Kairi home- they couldn't be around while Sora was unstable, and Kairi left Sora's phone on the chair she'd been sitting on.

Sora's eyes cracked open wearily, and was immideatly confused.

Why the shiz was he in a hospital?

Oh yea. That stupid _voice._

Suddenly, church bells began to ring. He forgot that the hospital had church services for patients who were not long for this world, and he gravely wondered if they were ringing for him.

For a long while, he just lay there, with an empty ache in his chest. He'd dreamt about Riku last night…when they first met, when Kairi moved to the islands, playing on the beach…

The day Riku's mom got re-married.

The day Riku left them for good.

Sora flinched and bent over, grasping at his heart, willing for the pain to stop

_**Do you need my help again? Little Blue?**_

_Kuu-chan...I want Kuu-chan...do you know where he is?_

_**I'll make you feel better, Little Blue. Don't worry, I'm here, I'm here.**_

Sora screamed in agony as his eyes got a little bluer, his hair brighter.

He grew limp against the pillows.

A moment later, the boy lifted his head.

"Don't worry, Little Blue. I'm here."

Roxas smiled.

Sora's phone began to tick.

_Tick,_

_Tock,_

_Tick,_

_Tock,_

_Tick…_

In a burst of light, the black plastic changed to gold, its geometrical features rounding, and its screen becoming oval.

The ticking grew louder.

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

Hands appeared on the screen along with numbers.

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

A voice Roxas knew too well rang out from the ticking device.

"_**Sora."**_

Roxas screamed, and he fell motionless to the ground.

"_**I came back for you, Sora. Just like I promised."**_

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

_TICK,_

_TOCK,_

A figure appeared in the door way.

_Tick,_

_Tock,_

"_**My Little Song Bird.."**_

_Tick…_

_Tock…_

_Tick…_

And the hands grew ever closer to Zero.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Woo hoo!! PLOT DEVELOPMENT!!

Oohhhh, I like this chapter! Sorry its short- it was longer, but I didn't like how it tied in with the rest of the story.

News: I will update this story everyday, sometimes twice, so no worries!

Well, at least until school starts up.

I dun wanna be a freshman!!

Disclaimer: Again, Im not seeing any man love in Kingdom Hearts outside of , so I, and anyone else on this site, do not own KH.

**Pleeeaaaasssee!! Review!! I can see people reading, but..well, it hurts my feelings that I don't get feedback, even if you don't like it.**

**5 reviews out of the 207 people that have read so far?**

**That seriously hurts.**

**Please review!! Don't make me beg!**

**begs anyways**


	6. Swing Swing

The following morning after the doctors replaced Sora in his bed, a certain Dr

The following morning after the doctors replaced Sora in his bed, a certain Dr. Orange sat down with Emi Hashiba to discuss Sora's medical condition.

"Now then, Mrs. Hashiba-"

Emi interrupted him. "Please, call me Emi. No one has called me a Mrs since my husband died."

The doctor spoke softly. "Yes, of course. Now Emi, we believe that your son may be experiencing a form of amnesia, where he forgets his current self and returns to the state he was eight years ago. We do not know when this will wear off, or if it ever will. Do you understand?"

Emi gave a curt nod as more tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Emi, we had a nurse come in last night to take his temperature, and…he was on the floor. He got up. Emi, that isn't normal. The anesthetic we used should have kept him under for twelve hours."

Emi Hashiba stared at the doctor in shock.

"What's…what is wrong with my baby?" she whispered.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. We asked your son's friend if he hit his head, and she said that he just fell to his knees. We don't know how his amnesia- if we can really call it that- was triggered. In his past, has your son ever experienced any form of trauma?"

Emi was silent and her tears increased.

"When Sora was eight, he had a best friend…and one day, when they were playing in his front yard, Riku…Riku went to go get the bal they were playing with...it…it was in the street!" She hunched over and hugged herself tightly, and let the tears come full force as she relived the pain, the long hospital hours, the many nights she'd had to hold Sora as he cried…

"Emi, please…what happened?" Dr. Orange wasn't stupid, but he figured that knowing the real outcome would benefit Sora.

"Riku…Riku…there was a truck…a truck! And he…he went flying in the air, and I….he's gone, doctor…he's gone!"

Dr. Orange called in a free nurse to comfort the grieving woman.

"I see. Tell me Emi, what did Riku look like?" his voice was gentle, understanding.

"Long…long silver hair. The prettiest green eyes you'd ever seen…" Emi had apparently missed the doctor's intention.

Thinking that the poor woman had suffered enough, he called in Kairi as the nurse and Emi left the room.

"Kairi, I need you to tell me _exactly _what happened." Dr. Orange demanded his voice harsh and serious.

Kairi shuddered. "I...I was putting up found posters for a cell phone…and Sora was looking for me for some reason…and when I bumped into me he freaked out and asked me why I wasn't answering my phone, but…but my phone never rang!" Kairi was crying.

"I see." Said Dr. Orange. "Please, continue."

"S…so he tried to show me his call history, but his phone was on the fritz or something because the screen was dark, then he started hitting it with his hand, and then the phone said he had a message from Hayner…."

"Who is Hayner?" The doctor's eyebrows furrowed.

"He works with Sora at the movie theater." Kairi explained. "And when he went to check it, he just collapsed!" The poor girl was now rocking with sobs. This brought back too many bad memories.

"Kairi, can you call Hayner for me? I'd like to have a word with him."

So Kairi called Hayner and handed Dr. Orange the phone.

After a few minuets, the doctor hung up. "Kairi, Hayner says he never called Sora. Do you know where Sora's phone is?"

Kairi told him, and he sent her home.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

The doctor knew what he was about to do was cruel, but he had to know what triggered the memory lapse.

Entering Sora's room with a manila folder and a fake smile plastered on his face, he made small talk with the boy.

Dr. Orange mentally noted Sora's condition. He was not ranting or raving, calling out for his Kuu-chan, or even his mommy.

"Sora, do you know why you're in here?"

Sora snorted. "Of course I do! I fainted, or something like that. I was kinda there, you know?"

Carefully, the doctor began to tread on dangerous ground.

"How many days have you been in here?"

"One, I think."

"You've been here for three, Sora." More mental notes.

"Oh. Really?" Sora blinked in confusion.

"Sora, may I see your phone?" Dr. Orange asked. "I'd like to hear the message your friend Hayner left you.

"Oh yea, sure, go ahead. If you know where it is, that is. I don't think I have it."

Walking over to the boy's bedside, he reached for the chair and kept his eyes on Sora's face.

His fingers met bumpy plastic, and his face twisted in confusion. Turning to look at Kairi's chair, he found…the chair.

No phone.

"What's up, doc?"

"Nothing, nothing. Now Sora, I'm going to hand you some photos, and I want you to tell me if one rings a bell." Handing Sora the manila folder, the doctor sat down on the chair that was missing a phone.

Sora opened the folder, and pictures spilled out onto his lap.

Carefully, he picked one up.

Green eyes stared back at him from the shiny paper. Sora squinted, and told the doctor nothing clicked. The doctor was now writing notes on a pas he kept in his coat pocket.

The next picture was of a young girl with silver hair.

Still nothing.

Next, a boy with both silver hair and green eyes.

Sora's eyes widened, and Dr. Orange watched with interest.

"He's…pretty." And Sora continued through the stack.

"Are you sure, Sora? Nothing at all?" The pencil was still scraping against the doctor's note pad as he spoke.

"Nope, sorry doc." A cheery smile.

The doctor's conscious weighed heavily with guilt from what he was about to say.

"What about…Riku?"

Sora clenched the sheets and bowed his head.

"Dr. Orange, I would appreciate it if you did not intentionally cause me pain."

The doctor wrote down the boy's reaction, apologized, and left the room.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Four weeks after Sora was released from the hospital, school started back up. Since the doctor and Kairi could not locate the phone, it was assumed that Kairi and dropped it on the street in her panic, and could not remember doing so due to stress.

Sora never told Dr. Orange about the ticking or the voice that came from his phone, because he felt that it wasn't important. The phone Kairi had found remained unclaimed, and now sat in a drawer in her nightstand.

Everyday, Kairi would swing by Sora's house to pick him up, and they'd go to school together. Talk was in the air that Sora was going to ask her out.

That was, of course, untrue.

The first nine weeks went like any other. It was enjoyed by the students who had had nothing to do over summer, and then around the third week everyone was wishing it was summer again.

Sora Hashiba was not an exception.

So he sat at his desk in third period Geometry, tapping his pencil against the plastic wood.

He hadn't heard the ticking since he collapsed.

He was supposed to be filling in a fill in the blank worksheet on Animal Farm.

But instead, his pencil went _tap tap tap _as he stared out the window.

He was brought back to the real world when the bell rang for lunch. Realizing he hadn't even written name at the top, he dropped it on his teacher's desk with a sigh. He'd been losing sleep lately, dreaming of a world swirling with green and black.

Lunch was uneventful, Kairi blabbering with Namine about what she would wear for homecoming, and Hayner sat beside her with admiring eyes. Sora scoffed to himself- Hayner had it _bad._ Not just _bad _in the sense of being in love, but he had it bad because no one in the group had the heart to tell him he had a chance.

No one- not even Namine herself- had the heart to tell him that she was homosexual. Gay. Lesbo. Played for the same team.

Need I go on?

It was Hayner's fault, mostly. He had just thought it was hot when he saw her make out with Olette.

Poor kid. All those Munchies and Crunchies during the summer screwed up his brain cell count.

Soon it was time for fourth period, in which they were given another test.

When their teacher, Mr. Boozer, had finished collecting the tests, he gave a great big smile and said in a sing song voice, "My precious little Einsteins! I have great news! Next week, we shall be receiving _two new students!_ Isn't that just _marvelous?_" Mr. Boozer the pranced around the room and finished with a skip.

Hayner threw a crumpled note onto Sora's desk which read:

_5 bucks he's fruitier than Skittles._

Sora laughed, and kept giggling with Kairi on the way home, and until he slipped into his green and black nightmares.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

That Saturday, Sora and Kairi went to the arcade dressed in their finest.

Their finest being short shorts, glow sticks that didn't glow anymore, bright colors, and glitter in their hair.

Now, Sora wasn't gay (or so he said), but he did have a tendency to let Kairi have her way with him whilst wielding glitter and armed with a closet full of clothes that were too small for her.

Yep, Sora was skinnier than Kairi.

And shorter…

And once Kairi even said he had better curves…

But, Sora merely plugged his ears with his fingers and shouted "LA LA LA LA LAAAA!! I CANT HEAR YOU!!" every time the redhead mentioned him being the least bit feminine.

And so, hopping out of Kairi's old Chevy, Sora made a mad dash for the Dance Dance Revolution section. Kairi called after him, but Sora was already on the first machine he came to, moving his legs and stomping his feet, occasionally twisting his hips to the beat.

"Sora, I think you like that game too much for your own good," Kairi said, rolling her eyes.

"Uh-huh. Sure." His response was like an answering machine, Kairi thought.

After three more songs, Sora hopped of the machine, dancing in victory as he proclaimed, "YES!! PERFECT ON SANCTUARY!! BEAT THAT!" Everyone in the arcade laughed, Sora did this often enough that they knew not to take him seriously.

"Alright, I think I will." A voice came from the door.

Sora felt dizzy, and caught himself on the railing of the dance machine.

Kairi froze, eyes widening.

_It…it can't be…_

Slowly, Kairi turned as the figure walked past her.

Silver hair.

Cold, green eyes.

Kairi Uchimura fell to her knees.

_It can't be!_

Riku walked over to Sora. "That's a pretty good score, huh?"

Sora fell to his knees.

"Whoa, watch yourself! You alright?"

Sora was shaking.

Inside his mind, Roxas smirked.

_**Do you need me, Little Blue?**_

_Kuu-chan…Kuu-chan!_

_**Its okay, Little Blue. Let me take over, and I'll-**_

"NO! NOT YET! I JUST FOUND HIM!" Sora screamed, startling Riku along with everyone else.

"hey…are you okay? You're shaking…" Riku wrapped his arms around Sora's shoulder.

_**Little Blue! You're breaking down! You need me! Don't fight! Do you want to remember?**_

_Kuu-chan! I found my Kuu-chan! KUU-CHAN!_

Sora began to hyperventilate.

_**Blue, you idiot! Your Kuu-chan is DEAD!**_

Sora's body arched back as he screamed, and then fell limp in Riku's arms

Kairi fainted, and the arcade manager called 911.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Huzzah! Four and a half pages on Word!! I ROCKETH!

:3

Teehee, I made Sora a girly tramp and Hayner an oblivious moron.

Sooo, watcha think?

Again..please review. Really, its all I ask. I thrive off them. They are my bread and water! My milk and honey! You get the point!

_**REVIEW! ROXAS COMMANDS IT!**_


	7. Drip, Drip, Drip

Sora cracked open an eye, and internally groaned

Sora cracked open an eye, and internally groaned.

He was becoming too familiar with hospitals.

He sat up and stretched, there was a crick in his neck. Something creaked on the bed. Sora froze when a hand was suddenly on his forehead.

"Good morning, sunshine." The deep dark voice whispered.

Sora freaked, and slapped the hand away.

The man stood before him.

Eyes widening, Sora began to shake. It couldn't be…

_**Easy there, Little Blue, easy. I don't think you want me to scare him off, do you?**_

_Is it really Kuu-chan?_

…

_Roxie? _

_**No, Little Blue, its not him.**_

Riku snapped his fingers in Sra's face, bringing him out of his subconscious. "Now that you're awake, allow me to introduce myself." Riku stood up and gave a Broadway bow.

Sora held his breath, along with one last strand of hope.

_He's dead. He's not Kuu-chan…because Kuu-chan is dead…._

_Right?_

"My name is Mamoru. Ukitake Mamoru. It's a pleasure." Riku smirked. "And yes, I did beat your score. After they said you were going to be okay, of course."

Another smirk, and this time the florescent lights glinted off of the pendant he wore.

"Oh…" Sora looked away, saddened.

"What, you were expecting someone else?" Riku turned Mamoru quirked and eyebrow.

Sora shook his lowered head, bangs covering his fresh tears as his shoulders rocked.

"Sora…" Riku made to wrap his arms around the smaller boy, but…

_**Don't you even think about it, Riku.**_

Flinching, Riku grabbed his head and turned towards the door. "I'll see you later, Sora."

And Mamoru Ukitake was gone out the door.

When the squeak of sneakers on tile was no longer heard, Sora Hashiba broke down sobbing in his hospital bed.

Roxas came out twice that night to make Sora forget the pain.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Emi Hashiba was a kind, gentle, loving woman.

Except, of course when it came to her Sora Bear.

Yes, Sora Bear.

And so, when she heard her son was again in the hospital, she fought tooth and nail to get out of work.

Tooth and nail, in the Hashiba family, means only one thing.

_Ninja skills._

So her secretary ended up stuck to the wall by pens and paper clips. Her boss was dangling by his ankle from the ceiling of the break room. And anyone else who got in her way was locked up in the bathrooms.

Needless to say, Emi's ninja skills are considerably better than her offspring's.

With a hop, skip and a leap, (and a three minuet drive _through_ the five lane highway…) she ended up at Destined Hospital's children's ward.

The split second the receptionist gave her the room number, Emi Hashiba was sprinting down the halls.

About half way there, she bumped into someone. Turning around to apologize, her breath caught in her throat, and the "Old hag" the boy uttered went unheard.

"It cant be…." She whispered.

And then she heard, faintly…

_Tick,_

_Tock,_

_Tick,_

_Tock,_

_Tick…_

_**TheTickingWatch**_

"Dad.." Kairi called softly from her bed. Her father had come and picked her up form the hospital when she regained consciousness.

"Yes, Kairi?" her father asked,

"Is it possible for the dead to come back..?" She whispered.

"Because…Riku…" Tears fell from her delicate face.

"Oh, Kairi, sweet heart….its going to be okay…shh…" Mr. Uchimura comforted his daughter, pressing her to his shoulder.

"Oh, Daddy…! I saw…I saw him, Daddy! I saw Riku!...He…the arcade!" Kairi sobbed out, barely getting enough oxygen through the tears.

"Kairi, sweetie…he's gone. You know that. Shhh…I know you miss him, but he's gone…" Mr. Uchimura was beginning to tear up himself.

Kairi only sobbed harder.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

A week later, Sora once again left the hospital, and for the most part, he was relatively happy.

Sure, Riku was gone, dead, six feet under, cold as snow.

But hey, look at the totally _not _heart wrenching fact that Sora had bumped into someone who looked like his _twin!_

Oh, no, he was _in a great fucking mood._

Tears? Those weren't tears! That was him imitating a waterfall, dumbass.

_**Calm yourself, Blue. **_Roxas whispered in his mind.

_Make me! If I wanna cry and be a bitch, then I will! What are you gonna do about it!_

…

Roxas remained silent.

And so Sora walked to school, tears trickling down his face. Kairi joined him soon after, and her tears joined his on the school pavement.

They knew that their Riku was gone.

They knew that Mamoru Ukitake was not him.

But they wished he was.

As the duo walked into the science building for first period, their tears went _drip, drip, drip, drip _against the linoleum.

And no one asked any questions.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

For three days after, Sora paid no attention to the outside world. Roxas was in control most of the time, like during school, doing his work for him better than he could himself. He avoided talking to his mother, and locked himself in his room.

He wouldn't even let Kairi in.

On the fourth day of Sora Hashiba's bowed headed silence, a certain Mamoru Ukitake approached him.

"Ah, Sora! There you are! I tried to get your attention in English, but you always ignore me and run off after class. You feeling better yet?"

_Roxas, its not my Kuu-chan. Take over. The only one I want to talk to anymore is my Kuu-chan._

_**Alright, Little Blue. I know it hurts.**_

And so the Riku look alike found himself talking with a split personality.

Roxas picked up his head, and smiled brightly.

"Ah, Mamoru! Its good to see you again. I never got to thank you properly for saving me." Mamoru blinked, and furrowed his brows.

_**Riku. You know very well whom your target is. Do not fall for this. That is an order.**_

_Yes, master. Understood. Permission to draw target out?_

_**Granted.**_

Ending the conversation in his head, Mamoru pushed Roxas against a nerby locker. Passing period was now over, the halls were empty.

_Perfect._

"What? So-chan? Don't you..remember me?" Riku pouted his bottom lip and drew fake tears to his eyes.

Inside his body, Sora was going insane.

_KUU-CHAN!! KUU-CHAN! ROXAS! ITS KUU-CHAN! Let me out! Let me out! NOW!_

Roxas fell, gripping his hair and screaming, eyes wide with tears flowing freely.

_**No, Sora! NO! IT'S A TRICK! RIKU IS DEAD, YOU HEAR ME! DEAD!**_

_KUU-CHAN!_

Little Sora Hashiba broke free, and shoved Roxas into the corner of his mind.

His lithe body trembling, he flew himself into Riku's arms, and let tears fall.

"Ne, So-chan…I think this is yours." Riku whispered into Sora's ear.

Sora, not hearing him, pressed himself harder against Riku's shoulder, tears staining his shirt, and continued his mantra of "Kuu-chan…Kuu-chan!".

Reaching between them, Riku smirked as his fingers brushed cool brass.

"So-chan, do you know what happens when the clock strikes midnight?" He clenched the brass object firmly.

"The fairy tale melts away…" And Riku slammed the watch against Sora's chest, and whispered, "Tick, tock, Sora. Tick, tock."

And Little Sora Hashiba fell limp in Riku Umino's arms.

_Target aquired, master. Shall I carry out phase two?_

_**Immideatly. You have done well in your first mission. You have my congratulatories.**_

_Thank you, master._

A portal of darkness engulfed the two boys, and for the rest of the day, they were seen by no one.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

First off, im sorry its so short! But my familt randomly decided to have a big dinner for no reason, so I was limited on time.

Second- Riku's false name. Mamoru means Earth, and since Riku means land, I thought they went well together. Hehe, I was thinking Bleach when I gave him his last name.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CHAPTER! WHEN THE NEXT ONE IS POSTED, READ THIS ONE AGAIN!

And….

Please don't kill me for this….

There will probably be no chapter tomorrow. I have a cosplay meet up down town that lasts from 1-5, so…most likely, there wont be one.

REVIEW!! FOR THE LOVE OF LITTLE SORA HASHIBA, REVIEW!!

…_please?_

_**Don't beg, Pocky. You know it dosent work.**_

…_.Shuddup, Roxas. You're in my world now._

_**For the love of God, people, REVIEW OR SHE'LL KILL ME!**_

I'd do it, too.

_**I think I want my Kuu-chan now too…**_


	8. According to Plan

Woo, man I'm tired. The meetup was fun, but man..

Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to…

Kawa-kiree!

You've reviewed more than anyone else! Sankyou!

Now here we go, CHAPTER 8!!

_**TheTickingWatch**_

_Well, at least it's not a hospital, _Sora thought as he raised himself up from the downy bed coverings. He hopped up and surveyed his new surroundings.

What the _shiz _happened?

For a moment, Sora sought out Roxas, but thought it best to leave his other self alone and decided to do a revision of his Decision Dance to try and remember.

So there he stood, looking this time like he was going to jump to the moon and sing Spicy Marmalade at the top of his lungs, doing his For-The-Love-of-Shiz-I-Can't-Remember-Crap dance.

Sora's breath caught in his throat as realized where he was.

1314 Ocean Sight.

The little blue house exactly five blocks away from his own.

Otherwise known- or formerly known- as the Umino family residence.

"So, you're awake." Riku smirked from his position in the corner.

"Ma…Mamoru?" Sora whispered, reaching a hand out to the silver haired teen.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Riku smirked involuntarily. He knew _exactly _what was wrong.

Poor little Sora Hashiba's heart was being ripped apart.

_And he loved it._

Deciding to stick to the plan, for once, Riku sat down on the edge of his bed, and wrapped his arms around the gently shaking boy.

The moment Sora felt Riku touch him, his tears increased.

His brain had been fooled.

But his heart knew.

It knew that this was his Kuu-chan.

Smothering his head into Riku's shoulder, Sora sobbed even harder as he inhaled.

And yet…

He knew this smell.

But still, logic was in place. He saw Riku get hit by the truck. He went to the funeral and _saw his face._

Maybe Sora was delusional.

Maybe Sora just didn't care.

Roxas stilled in the back of his mind, unsure what to do.

"R…Mamoru. Will…will you be my friend? My very best?" Sora sobbed out.

Or maybe it was substitution.

Whatever it was, for Riku, it made everything go according to plan.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

When Sora had finally reached a lengthened point of silence, Riku explained that he had fainted in the hallway, and knowing his dislike of doctors, had brought the other teen to his house since he didn't know where Sora lived.

That was a lie, of course.

But, Sora didn't say anything.

Denial and confusion, remember?

And so, Sora found himself dragging the silver haired teen home to meet his mom. Roxas immediately used this to his advantage, and mocked the brunette all the while.

Roxas was just as confused as Sora, but the kid wasn't freaking out or in pain, so he stayed locked up in Sora's psyche.

Soon, they were on the Hashiba family's residence, and Riku couldn't help but laugh when Sora began to give him the grand tour. He knew the place like the back of his hand.

As they passed by a small cabinet, Riku's façade slipped.

"Ha, this is where you keep all those Oreos that your mom said was bad for you, right?

Sora spun on his heel, looking at Riku with stunned eyes. "H…how did you know that?"

_Shit, _Riku thought, realizing his mistake.

"What? Isn't that where every kid keeps them?" he laughed, rubbing the back of his head and blushing a little.

"Yeah…I guess you're right." Sora sulked, and turned back around, completing the tour with less enthusiasm.

Finally, after finishing off with a "by the way, my mom doesn't get home till seven," the pair reached Sora's room.

As a tanned arm reached for the glossy brass doorknob, Riku pulled the watch out from beneath his shirt, and unhooked it.

Once the door was closed behind them, Riku made his move

_Phase two initiatiated, master._

Riku received only a satisfied vibe.

Clutching the watch in his hands, Riku gave the room a once over. It as all Sora- all old glow sticks and pop band posters and empty CD cases thrown around the room.

Same old Sora- still chasing his dream of being a famous singer.

Riku paced himself slowly towards the eased brunette. Sora seemed to be either staring off into space, or maybe arguing with Roxas.

Riku couldn't care less.

Riku reached his destination, and wrapped one arm around Sora's waist, hugging him to his chest, and used the other one to dangle the brass watch in the boy's face.

Riku knew Sora's reaction before it even happened.

"Huh? What's this, Mamoru?" Sora said.

No screaming in agony.

No gasps for breathe.

No _Roxas._

_All according to plan._ The silverette thought.

Twisting the boy around in his grasp, Riku tenderly placed a kiss on Sora's hand, placed the watch in the grasp of the boy's free hand, and knelt.

"We will have a relationship like no other. We will be all each other needs. I am your Sword and Arrow, and you are my Sheath and Shield."

Sora gasped in shock, as the watch lay in his small hand.

"Mamoru…" Sora whispered, shocked.

"I am your defender, as you are mine. I will live for only you. I will die only for you or under your command, Sora."

"Mamoru, what are you talking about..?"

Slowly, Riku stood back up, this time wrapping both arms around the brunette. Smiling, he leaned his forehead to Sora's, "From this moment on, we are bound for life, So-ra!"

Riku played out Mamoru's role perfectly, cheery and happy- like Sora.

"W-what? Mamoru, what are you-hmph!" Sora found himself unable to speak as a pair of lips crashed down on his own.

Sora didn't even fight back, and let the tears fall down his face in waves, as he imagined what it would've been like if this were Riku, and not Mamoru, how Riku's lips would feel against his own, what he would've tasted like…

The tears fell harder.

_Substitution, indeed._

Riku acted carefully. It was hard to fight his gag reflex and not shove the brunette away.

The Riku from eight years ago- hell, even one year ago- would be jumping up and down in joy.

The Riku now, however, wanted nothing more than to shove the fragile brunette in his arms down a well and never see him again.

As they parted, Sora panting with a faint pink glow, Riku felt dirty.

"Mamoru…" Sora whispered hotly in his ear, eyes searching for an answer.

Riku shuddered- but not from pleasure.

He felt sick.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Ta-da! Chapter eight.

Man, IM STILL TIRED! I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, so my mind is fuzzy.

I have a new system!!

I want four reviews!

"_And I want a million dollars,"_ You say.

Well then, how's this- four reviews or _no more chapters?_

Hmm?

Sounds fair to me.


	9. Seraphim

GOMEN

GOMEN!! I ISH SO SOWWY!!

I still haven't been getting enough sleep, and so my brain is like….dead.

That's another reason why this chappy is so short. Im dead tired.

Anyways.

The day I own kingdom hearts is the day when Kairi's head explodes and confetti goes everywhere like in Halo.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

After a few more disgustingly deep and long kisses, Riku just held Sora like a precious glass doll in his arms. After his brief make-out session with the brunette, Riku wanted nothing more than to eat a bar of soap.

_Absolutely disgusting, _the silverette thought.

And of course, Sora was on cloud nine, and Roxas had a terrible head ache. Sora couldn't believe it! He had a boyfriend! Er, Sword…Arrow….same difference.

_**So there goes the 'I'm not gay I swear' catch phrase, Little Blue. **_Roxas teased.

_Shut up. You're lucky I don't try to get rid of you like other crazy people._

_**You're not crazy. I am real. You just can't see me.**_

Sora ignored him, and cuddled into _Mamoru_.

"Hey…Mamoru. What was with that speech earlier? Swords? Sheaths?" Sora asked as he nudged the arm of the other boy.

"It means exactly what I said it does. Basically, I keep you safe, you keep me safe. Well, except that you're more important." Riku spoke softly.

Sora blushed, and Riku wanted to drop him.

"And…the watch?" Sora asked, holding up the lump of brass.

"Oh, that? Well, that used to be your phone." Riku had never been so glad he was a good actor as he plastered a fake smile on his face.

Sora's face twisted in confusion, and he nibbled on his lip.

_Mamoru _laughed, and poked his nose.

"Well-" The sound of metal wrapping around something reached the pair, followed by an unearthly howl.

_So soon, master?_

_**You know what to do, boy.**_

Riku gritted his teeth, and perched himself on the window sill. "Well, lets just say that I'm not exactly human."

And with that, Riku jumped out the window and onto the scalding pavement below. To his left he found an empty school bus wrapped around a street lamp, and to his right, a monster the color of night with glowing yellow eyes.

Ignoring Sora's screams and pleas for him to come inside, Riku leaped at the massive thing, Keyblade appearing in his hand- and proceeded to hack the monster into pieces.

Inside, Sora was close to having a heart attack.

When Riku brought out the Keyblade, he fell to floor in shock, screams silenced.

Roxas was no where to be found.

_Figures, the one time I actually want him to-_

And when Riku's shirt was ripped to shreds and wings protruded from his back, little Sora Hashiba fainted.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

The Heartless was easy enough to take down, it may have been big, but its health was low.

Riku twitched a wing as he wondered how Sora had reacted, and then gasped in pain. Apparently the giant suit of armor managed to scald his left wing.

Dismissing Sweet Memories, he flew back into his room and found Sora passed out near his computer chair.

Oh, how easy it would be to just ram Masamune or Sweet Memories right throught that pretty little head of his.

The thought alone made him smile, and made the darkness in his heart grow even more.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

Riku turned to said transparent boy who was attempting to kick Sora.

"SORA! LITTLE BLUE! WAKE THE FUCK UP!" Roxas shouted.

"Now, now, Roxas, calm down. The boy needs his rest." Riku sneered, condescending.

"Riku! Dammit, you died! I saw it! Sora saw it! Axel and Kairi, too! _Why the hell are you still here?"_ Roxas screamed, tears leaking in frustration.

"Well, you forget I'm a bit different than you or Axel, dear Roxie." Riku smirked knowingly.

"Don't use that childish nickname on me." Roxas was stock still, gazing at his transparent sneakers.

"Why? I think I have every right to, considering the fact that you _killed me."_

Roxas winced as Riku walked over to Sora and placed a kiss on his lips.

Riku felt his dark, cold heart begin to flutter.

_No. I hate him. I won't let myself be broken again. And yet..._

Roxas caught the look on his face, and understood.

Love was one hell of a hateful bitch, and Roxas was pretty sure Ansem made sure of it in Riku's case.

_**TheTickingWatch**_

-laughs insanly-

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAA!!

Want to know what happens? Wanna know where the hell Axel is? Why Riku can see Roxas?

_Why Roxas killed Riku?_

Hehehehe.

You know what I wan.

And this time, I want….

SEVEN REVIEWS!

Oh, you don't want to review? Fine, ruin it for the people who do.

No reviews, no chapter.

Muhahaha.

and...I'm looking for a...muse. Someone to send me ideas, because right now, i have NO idea what is going to happen next.


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